Time indicator



Apr. 24, 1923. 1,453,087

A. VARAUD TIME INDI CATOR Filed Nov. 5 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 A. VARAUDTIME INDICATOR Apr. 24, 1923.

Filed Nov. 5, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 2f -Apr. 24, 1923. 1,453,087 A. VARAUDTIME INDICATOR Filed Nov. 5, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 A. VARAUD TIMEINDICATOR Filed Nov. 5, 1921 4 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

ANDRE VARAUD, OF VESENAZ, NEAR GENEVA, SIVITZERLANI), ASSIGNOB TO THESOCIETE ANONYME DHORLOGERIE ET BIJOUTEBIE DE G-ENEVE, OF GENEVA, CAN-TON OF GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, A COIvIPAI TY OF SWITIJERLAND.

TIME INDICATOR.

Original application filed August 11, 1920, Serial No. 402,820. Dividedand this application filed Novemher 5, 1921.

Z '0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDRE VARAUD, watchmaker, a citizen of France,residing at Vesenaz, near Geneva, Canton of Geneva, in the Confederationof Switzerland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTime Indicators (for which I have filed application in Switzerland,March 29, 1919, April 29, 1919, and Oct. 29, 1919), of: which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has for its object a time indicator of the type in whicha movable dial bearing chronoinetric indications arranged circularlymoves always in the same direction under a fixed dial having at leastone opening in it, and this application is a division of my copendingapplication, Serial No. 102,920, filed August 11, 1920 for LettersPatent for an improvement in time indicators.

The invention is represented in the ccompanying drawings which show asexamples thereof, several constructional forms, all adapted to alreadyknown sizes of watches, clocks or alarms.

Figs. 1 to 19 relate to constructional forms in which an anchorescapement is used.

Figures 1 to 7 relate to a first constructional form and of these Figure1 is a front elevation with part of the case and the fixed dial brokenaway.

Figure 2 is the same elevation with more of the dial removed.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 1 is a detail view showing from underneath the disc of themovable dial and the escape wheel.

Figure 5 is a detail view showing detached the cam which operates theanchor escapement.

Figure 6 is an elevation with part of the case and of the fixed dialremoved of a modification and Figure 7 is a detail view showing detacheda modification of the form of the anchor escapement.

Figures 8 to 11 relates to a second constructional form and of theseFigure 8 is an elevation with part of the case and of the fixed dialbroken away.

Serial No. 513,121}.

Figure 9 is the same elevation with the disc of the movable dial moreremoved.

Figure 10 is a detail view showing part of the anchor escapement of this"form, and

Figure 11 is an elevation with part of the case and of the fixed dialbroken away of a third constructional form.

Figures 12 to 19 are detail views of these three forms.

Figure 12 representing the movable dial ot the third form.

Figure 18 this movable dial seen from underneath and Figure 1 1 theconnection of the edge of this movable dial and a roller.

Figure 15 is the escape wheel seen from underneath.

Figure 16 is the movable roller.

Figures 17 to 19 four forms of the anchor.

Fig. 20 is another form of anchor.

In the first .ot the forms (see Figs. 1 to 7) the escapcment of onetooth of the wheel i takes place every hour that elapses by means of ananchor g. The distance of the two arms oi this anchor from each othercorresponds to the interval or one tooth and a half of the wheel i Theactive surface of the teeth of the escape wheel 2'" as well that of thearms of the anchor is radial with respect to the centre of the saidwheel '5, that is to say, it has no inclined planes so as to prevent thewheel i from escaping accidentally.

The oscillating movement of the anchor is imparted to it in onedirection by a spring 9 fined to the plate 1 at 9 and in the otherdirection by a step 5/ fixed eccentrically on a cylindrical shaft 9integ *al with a wheel and pivoted on the one hand in the plate 1 and onthe other hand in a. bridge 13 screwed to this latter. This wheel gearswith a minute wheelivorl': (3 by means of a series o'l teeth. the numberof which double that ol the cannon pinion 5, upon the barrel of which isfixed the minute hand so that it makes halt a revolution on it it perhour.

The length or the arms of the anchor is calculated in such a \vaj thatthe contrary actions or the spring and of the eccentric are exertedalternately on the anchor llill which cogs by means of one of its arms atooth of the Wheel during halt a revolution of this eccentric, that isduring one hour. The end of the active arm of the anchor engaging righthome and slidiiy' over cogged teeth and disengaging itself there fromduring this lapse ottime. At the dead point of the oscillation of theanchor the escape of this tooth is produced and the wheel i moves in thedirection oi the hands of a watch until that one o'l' these lecth whicnfollows the. liberated tooth meets the other arm of the anchor. lllhistooth is then cogged by this arm moving over it under the action of thespring in one direction 'lor minutes and in the reverse direction foranother 30 minutes d ring the next hour, and so on.

In this form 0;" the invention capement wheel :i" has 21;" a disk S theparts ol wh ch are connected by a spring" j, the end ol' the sprii beingconnected to one of the said members and the opposite end f ol thesprn': hein r connected to the other of said hers. The disk 8 is turnedwith tl "211131011 pinion so that the spring has tension applied theretountil the escapement wheel is released when the spring causes thecscapen'ient wheel to turn thereby turning the gear wheel 7"" whichactnatcs the pinion (Z to i the revoiion (ii a the esated therewith oranchor shown in l' grs. 8 to O the rin movable dial 7/ has an externaiteeth which gear with three sma 1" which repllne the rollers as shown inl ig'. '1. a wheel 1/ mounted 'l'reely under the ri /n. periodically thedisc i)". The ratios o'l these r that the ring (3 i hours while the disc1' makes one revolution in 12 hours.

()ne o'l these pinioais is driven hy s rcw (1' i! 1?; driven on a 'l his wheel The anchor 5'1" con device has a r a small lever pivoted at inan opening in the anchor. The part 9 of this lever ronstitutes theprojecting movable arm of the anchor. The opposite part g" is subjectedto the action of a springs/ which to move the lever in the direction ofhands oil a watch. 'The end of the part y of the anchor is subjected tothe action o1 a spring as in the preceding form.

The oscillation of this anchor is controlled means (it pawl f" .whichisdntegral therewith liy means oi a snail IU fixed on the cannon pinion5.

In the position shown lll'Flg. 9 the.pr0- jet-tin; movable arm g is justquitting the tooth oi thiwheel 1 which it had locked during the whole ofthe rise of: the pawl! up the snail without there having been .anymovement of the escapement .wheelbecanse at this moment the re-entrantand fixed-arm had already engaged the third following tooth.

This arm 9 under the action OfithG spring 5 is then slightly movedtowards the right so to permit its active face to come radial ainwithrespect to the escapcment wheel when the pawl g falling on the startof the snail will cause the anchor to oscillate. This is in order toallow this arm to engage msily with the tooth which follows that whichit has just q-uitted in'nnei'zintely after the escape of one tooth oi?the wneel i" has been produced.

The rad'al taco of the snail w and the shaft ol the minute hand mountedlikewise on the cannon pinion are iilisconnec-ted from each other sothat the escape of one tooth of the wheel ii may take place whenlhishand passes opposite the indication (30 on the fixed dial.

The escapcment wheel '11 might also have Qel: teeth. In this case thecannon wheel 8 would have to be driven with a reduction oi speed from to12 with respect to one revolution of the cannon pinion.

With such an escape. wheel if the watch has no second:-; pinion. theremay be adapted to it a disc X' forming of itself the movable dial andcarrying a row arranged circularly of indications numbered from 23 to (land a con-entric indications numbered row oi from 1 to l2 and arrangedin a semicircle ln thi ccnstrucliomil term of the anchor shown in l theanchor g which oscillates about a carrier screw 5/. is Seated in ahollow made in the plate of the watch and placed under the action of atension spring;' 5/ which is very light.

The movable, lever oscillates about the carrier screw which is screwedinto the we ot the projectiiul'arm of thennchorand is provided wi hstops bent at a right angle wards so as to limit the stroke in two The"movable 'lever'isialso as formerly subjected the teeth of theescape-ment wheel 5 to escape in this form it. is the teeth of the ring6 which allow it to escape one by one every hour.

, F g. 19 shows a modified form of anchor employed in this form, inwhich there is only one stop 9 cooperating with a stop ig icarried-onthe end of the arm of the anchor.

The angle of opening left free between thisstop and the projecting armof the anchor is about 30.

Fig. 13 shows detached and seen from underneath the movable dial of thisconbing against the heads of the screws around which the rollers coscillate or on these latter (see Fig. 14).

Figure 15 shows detached from underneath escapement wheel 2' of thisform.

Figure 16 shows detached one of the rollers rendered movable by mountingits pivot on the lever c pivoted at c and subjected to the action of a.spring! 0 fulcrumed at 0 so that this movable roller constantly puts alight pressure on the ring I) so as to prevent the backlash 111 thegearing between this ring'and its driving pinion and between this ringand the fixed rollers.

Furthermore this roller facilitates the removal of the ring If byrendering superfluous the unscrewing of one of the fixed rollers c,which is necessary in the other constructional form for withdrawing thering shut inibetween the grooves 0 Figs. 17 and 18 show twomodifications of detail made on the constructional form of the anchorshown in Fig. which does not bring about any change in the workingthereof.

- the cogging of the teeth of the wolfs tooth end engages.

of a snail of large radius. result the beak g on which the snail actsliina-llyl ig. 20 represents a different form given to the anchor so asto alvold the use To obtain this is arranged approXin'ia-tely in themiddle of the lever g which is in this pivoted to o'neof its ends g. Inthis way the small movement caused at this centre will be sufficientlyamplified at the other end to ensure wheel with which the pawl carriedat this Thispawl is provided at its rear end with bent nose bent at aright angle on which the free end of a flat spring bears.

Iii; its free end this anchor might also carry two pawls for driving atonce the ring 6 and the disc 6 forming the movable dial.

The time indicator according to this invention instead of being an hourindicator as described with reference to the accompanying drawings inthe preceding constructional torns might likewise be an indicator ofdays of the month, days, weeks, months,

seasons, years, phases of the moon, etc., as

the movable dial ofthis time indicator may bear any kind of indicationwhatsoever, and the device for operating this dial intermittently mightbe subjected to any kind of movement without altering the principle ofthis invention which is to actuate periodically a movable dial by meansof a power borrowed from the clockwork movement of a. time indicator soas not to interfere with the proper working of this movement.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of myinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is:

1. In a time indicator and in combination with a casing and a motormechanism, a fixed dial having an opening therein a revolubie dialhaving chronometric indications thereon visible through the opening inthe fixed dial, a cannon pinion, an escapenient wheel, an escapeinentanchor, means actuated from the cannon pinion for operating thescapenient anchor in one direction, yielding means for actuating theescapement anchor in th opposite direction, and means for moving thesaid revoluble dial a predetermin d portion of a revolution when thesaid escapement anchor releases the said escapement wheel.

:2. In a time indicator and in combination with a casing and a motormechanism, a fixed dial having an opening therein, a revolubl dialhaving chronometric indications thereon visible through the opening inthe fixed dial, a cannon pinion, an escapement wheel, an escapeinentanchor adapted at its respective ends to engage the teeth on theescapement wheel, an eccentric, means for operating the eccentric fromthe cannon pinion to swing the esrapement anchor in one direction tocause one end thereof to engage the teeth on the escapement wheel,resilient means for actuating the esrapement anchor in the oppositedirection to cause the other end thereof to engage the teeth of theescapement wheel, and means for turning the said revoluble dial apredetermined portion oi? a revolution when the said scapemcnt anchor isreleased from the escapement wheel.

3. In a time indicator and in combination with a casing and a motormechanism. a fixed dial having an opening therein, a revoluble dialhaving chrononietric indications there+ lOO chor in the oppositedirection .to cause the ntherend thereof to engage: the teeth; oftheescapement wheel, and means: for turning the chor released fromthe-vescapement wheel.

capement wheehan ;.means for actuatingthe escapement anchor on visiblethrough the opening in the fixed dial, a cannon pinion, an escapementwheel, an escapement anchoradapted at its respective ends to engage theteeth on the escapement wheel, an'eccentric, a train of gears foroperating the eccentric from therannon pinion to-swing the escapementanchor in one direction to cause one end thereof-to engage the=teethonthe escapement wheel, va springfor swinging theiescapementansaidrevoluble. dial a predeterminedv portion ot'a revolution when the saidescapement an- 4. Ina time indicatorand in combination with a casingwanda motor mechanism, a fixed dial having an opening therein, arevolnbledial having chronometric indications thereon visibleithroughtheopening inthe fixed dial, a cannon pinion,- an eseapement zwheel, an,escapement anchor adapted atrits respectiveends to engage theateeth onthe escapement wheel, aneccentric, ,atrain of gearsfor operating theeccentric from the cannon pinion to swing the escapement anchor in onedirection to cause one end. thereof to engage the teeth a ontheaescapement wheel, a spring for swinging the escapement anchor in theopposite direction to, cause the other end thereof, to engage the:teethof the escapement Wheel, a disk turned with the said can-nonpinion, a gear :ilSSOClfl-tfld with the cannon pinion,;a resilientdevicecon-v meeting the said disk and escapement' wheel, .-a gearassociatedwith the escapement wheel, .and a pinion meshing withlthelast aforesaidgearandteeth on the revolublev dial whereby the revoluble dial isturneda-predetermined portion of a revolution when thesaid escapement wheel isreleased by the escapement anchor.

5. In a. time indicator and in combination .withacasing and ,-a motormechanism, a

fixed dial having-openings therein, a revoluble dial having chronometric;ind1ca- ,tions thereon 1 visible through one of the openings in thefixed dial, a revolnhle ring also having chronometric indicationsthereon visihle through another opening in;the fixed dial. -a cannonpinion. an esescapement anchor,

in one direction from the said cannon: pinion. a resilient device foractuating; the escapement anchor in the opposite direction,

and means operative when the escapement -wheel is released by theescapement anchor for simultaneously turning the, said revoluble dialand revoluble ring a. predetermined portion of a revolution.

,6. In a time indicator and in combinationwith a casing and a motormechanism,

a fixed dial-having openings therein, a rev- ,oluble dial havingchrenozaetric ,inriieations thereon visible through one .pf the:openingsdn the fixed dia l,-.a;revolnblenring also having; chronometric r indications 1 thereon visible. through enother opening in thefixed dial, a v cannon pinion, an escapement wheehsan escapement anchor,an eccent device operated from. the cannon; pinion -for swinging theescapen'lent anchor in one direction to causepne end the eof to, engagewith ;the :teeth .-of.- the escapement wheel, a resilient device-for-swinging the escapement anchor, in the opposite direction. tocausethe other end thereof to engage with the teeth of -,the -escapem ntwheel, ,and means operative when \the escapement wyheel is released bythe escapementmnchor for simultaneously ,moving the said {I'QY'OlllhlBdisk and, revoluble ring a redetermined portion tion. to cause oneend,thereofto ngage. the

teeth of the 'escapement wheel, a spripg! for :moving theescapement.anchor in the opposite direction-to cause the. .other, end there- ,ofto, engage .the teeth .of the; escapement wheel, and means operatire;whenthe mapement wheel isireleased ,by, the .escapement anchor tonsimaltaneouslymovingthe said revolwble disk and revoluble ,ring apredetermined portion ,of a revolution.

8. In aqtime indica.tor.andz in combination witha casing;,and.a motormechanism, ,a fixed dial having openings therein, a. revolubllle dial ihlgl'illfil -.chronometrichind.ieations t ereonvisi en ronghwne cit e ogin in thefixe dial,,a1 revoluble, ring, d shed? ingchronometric,indications thereon visible through another opening in thefixed dial,

:a cannonpinion, anesQapemBntwheel, an

scapementzanehor. anaeoqentric, a train of gears. operated from the.cannon, pinion; for

driving the; Said eccentric: ,tos swing:.the

capement anchor, inqoneqdirection .to cause one end thereof to engagetheteeth of the escapement wheel,: a spring for moving, the

.escapement anchor in the opposite .direction ,to-canse the other endthereofto engage the teethnof the escapementmheel, av disk associatedwith the said escapement wheel. a spring connection between the said,disk and: the said. escapament! wheel, .a,gear ,also associated withthe said. escapement wheel,

and a gear meshing with the last aforesaid In testimony whereof I haveafiixed my gear and also with gears for operating the signature inpresence of two witnesses. 10

revoluble dial and revoluble ring whereby when the escapement Wheel isreleased by the escapement anchor the said revoluble dial and revolublering is simultaneously turned a predetermined portion of a revolution.

ANDRE VARAUD.

Witnesses:

MAMIE NUY, R01). DE \VURSTEMBERG.

